Man robbed at gunpoint

A MAN was held up at gunpoint last Thursday night in the second firearm robbery in the city over the space of four days.

The incident occurred at around 9.45pm as the 23-year-old victim was walking along Holywell Hill in St Albans. Three men approached him from behind and pushed him into Latium Close where he was threatened with what is thought to have been a gun and a stick. The victim was uninjured but the thieves stole his music player, wallet and mobile phone.

The suspects were white, aged between 18 and 21 and they were all wearing dark-coloured jackets. One was between 5ft 9in to 6ft tall with dark brown hair, of thin build and wearing a long coat. The second suspect was of a similar description but of medium build. The third was also of medium build and he was wearing a hooded jacket.

The incident follows an armed robbery at Sopwell House Hotel in Cottonmill Lane, St Albans, on Monday March 3 - but police aren't linking the two crimes. In that incident a member of staff was held up by two men armed with what appeared to be a handgun, before they made off with a cashbox.

Anyone with any information about either of the incidents should contact the police on 0845 33 00 222.

n Two teenagers were struck on the face and head with a bottle by muggers who snatched their mobile phones on Friday night.

It happened in Verulamium Park, St Albans, at around 10.30pm when the two 16-year-olds were approached by two other youths, one of whom asked to borrow a mobile phone.

They then attacked their victims, hitting them on the face and head with a bottle before knocking them to the ground and continuing to assault them. The thieves took mobile phones from both victims as well as a wallet before making off.

Anyone with information should contact Pc Angelina Wade on 0845 33 00 222.